


One moment can change everything

by spacemanearthgirl



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex is the best sister ever, F/F, Fluff, Kara is in love with her best friend, Lena is ticklish, SuperCorp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-06 09:31:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12814641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacemanearthgirl/pseuds/spacemanearthgirl
Summary: Lena Luthor is ticklish. Who knew? Kara does now and she’s going to make the most of her newfound knowledge.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Lena Luthor is ticklish. Who knew? Kara does now and she’s going to make the most of her newfound knowledge.

The discovery had happened innocently enough, at one of their many movie nights, the movie nights that both Kara and Lena insisted upon having as regularly as possible.

They were wrapped up in each other on the couch (something else they both insisted upon and if Lena wanted to cuddle? Kara was going to give her all the cuddles she could).

That’s when it had happened. Kara shifted her hand, moving to grab more food from the coffee table but she wasn’t particularly paying attention to said hand as she removed it from around Lena’s waist which resulted in her fingers grazing a bit too hard across Lena’s stomach.

Kara felt the movement instantly as Lena squirmed against the touch, trying to move away while a huff of breath fell from her lips.

Kara’s eyes were immediately on Lena, wondering what had caused such a reaction. Until Kara glanced down as Lena still squirmed, trying to put some distance between herself and Kara’s hand, made more difficult by Kara’s other arm still being around her shoulder.

If Lena being ticklish wasn’t the first thing to pop into her mind, Kara may have been hurt by how Lena was trying to get away from her touch. But Lena being ticklish _is_ the first thing to pop into her mind which brings us back to Kara discovering that Lena is ticklish. How is this something she hasn’t known about until now?

Kara shifts her hand so it’s hovering over Lena instead and Kara feels the rest of Lena’s body relax, the body that’s still pressed against her own.

“Are you ticklish?” Kara asks, her eyes wide with excitement that she can’t contain. Every new fact she learns about Lena is a treasure and this is one that she can have fun with.

“No,” Lena says much too quickly as her eyes dart way.

Kara shifts her body slightly away from Lena so she can look at her properly. “You’re not?” Kara asks innocently.

Lena shakes her head as she eyes Kara suspiciously. “No.”

“So you wouldn't mind if I find out for myself then?”

Lena moves fast, faster than Kara is expecting as she spins out so her back is against the arm of the chair and her arms out in front of her. “Don’t you dare.”

“What?” Kara asks, feigning confusion. “I’m not doing anything.” Her movement contradicts her words though as she turns and advances on Lena.

“Kara,” Lena warns as she tries to move further back but she has nowhere to go. Her eyes dart to the side to look for another escape route but Kara sees the movement and uses it to her advantage. She’s on top of Lena before Lena has any chance of escape, legs now pined as Kara straddles her thighs.

“Kara,” Lena repeats but there’s less strength in the name now, less warning and more plea as she watches Kara above her.

“Yes?” Kara asks with a wide grin. She doesn’t give Lena a chance to answer though as she pounces, hands immediately going to Lena’s sides. Her fingers dance over the fabric of Lena’s shirt as Kara presses her fingers gently into the soft flesh of her stomach.

The reaction from Lena is instantaneous as laughter bubbles from her lips as she squirms under Kara’s touch.

“Kara!” Lena gasps out. “Please-“ She laughs again. ”Stop.”

Kara doesn’t stop though even as Lena’s hands try to swat her own away. Kara is mesmerized by the feel of Lena.

Beneath her hands.

Beneath her thighs.

As she watches Lena squirm and laugh under her.

_Lena really is beautiful._

“Kara!” Lena laughs again, tears forming in her eyes.

Kara doesn’t relent, just laughs along too as Lena giggles beneath her.

(She’s not using her super strength, would never do that to Lena. If she really wanted to get up, besides just to get away to get away from the tickling, Kara would let her in an instant).

Just a little bit longer and she’ll let her up, she’s not cruel. But she really is enjoying the feel of Lena beneath her.

Until a gasp from Lena pulls Kara from her thoughts and she freezes instantly.

Kara’s eyes glance over Lena quickly, trying to see if she’d hurt her in her distraction. (She’d never forgive herself if that were the case).

What she finds though makes her breath catch in her throat and suddenly her heart is beating rapidly in her chest for an entirely different reason. (Part of her mind tells her that Lena’s heart is beating just as fast too).

Lena’s hair is splayed around her head, her eyes wide as she looks up at Kara. Her chest is heaving and it takes Kara a moment to look back to her eyes.

“Kara?” This time when Lena says her name, it’s completely breathless and Kara finds herself wanting to hear it again.

And then Kara’s eyes dart down again and this time they make it past Lena’s chest and Kara finds what made Lena gasp.

Oh Rao, and now Kara is struggling to breathe as her own eyes widen.

_My hand is under her shirt._

_Oh my Rao, I’m touching bare skin._

_How did my hand end up there?_

That doesn’t matter right now though. What matters is the fact that her hand is still there and they’re both frozen and Kara has no idea what to do.

What is the correct protocol for accidentally touching your friend but not wanting to stop?

The correct answer is to stop. She doesn’t know what Lena wants, doesn’t know how she feels about the situation, but she has to stop.

 _She hasn’t pushed you away,_ Kara’s mind supplies and that’s really not helping right now.

 _Remove your hand,_ another part of her brain tells her so Kara does just that.

Except it seems like she’s not in control of her body any more as her hand slips gently higher.

_Rao, Lena’s skin is so soft._

Kara’s hand continues higher despite her mind screaming at her that this isn’t what friends do. Her hand moves even higher, over Lena’s ribs and then her fingers brush against the underside of Lena’s bra and for whatever reason it’s that that finally gets her body to respond to her mind and she’s off Lena immediately.

Kara does use superspeed this time as her back hits the opposite side of the couch.

Lena sits up in confusion, eyes finding Kara’s instantly and Kara knows that the shocked expression on Lena’s face is mirrored on her own.

“I’m sorry,” Kara says, the words quickly spilling from her lips.

“It’s okay,” Lena replies and Kara nods at her even though she knows it’s no okay. Rao, did she just take advantage of her friend? The thought makes her sick to her stomach.

Lena’s hand on Kara’s arm startles her from her thoughts, Lena’s much closer than she’s expecting.

“Really, it’s okay,” Lena says again and Kara relaxes under the look in Lena’s eyes.

She’s telling the truth.

Kara bites her lips, debates her next words but Lena beats her to it though.

“I would’ve told you to stop if you did anything I was uncomfortable with, anything I didn’t want you to do. Okay?” She punctuates her sentence with a squeeze to Kara’s arm.

Kara nods again, the guilt easing in her stomach as relief washes over her. She hasn’t just ruined this friendship with her more than friendly touching.

Lena smiles at her and Kara can’t help but smile back. Lena’s smiles are contagious, the real ones she sends Kara, the soft ones, never fail to make Kara smile in return.

But now they’re just staring at each other as they smile and Kara has to say something to break this staring contest before she does something stupid like kiss Lena. There’s been enough blurred lines of friendship for one day. Kara doesn’t need Lena knowing the extent of her feelings for her.

“So, you’re ticklish? Anything else you care to share?”

And just like that, Lena laughs, and everything goes back to normal.

It’s not until later when Lena is gone and Kara is in bed that she remembers Lena’s words from earlier and they actually register in her brain.

_“I would’ve told you to stop if you did anything I was uncomfortable with, anything I didn’t want you to do. Okay?”_

Does that mean that Lena had wanted Kara to touch her like _that_?

That can’t be what she meant.

Lena was just talking about the tickling, right?

xxx

Kara’s not avoiding Lena, she really isn’t.

Except that she totally is.

One cancelled movie night, two rescheduled coffee dates and not once has Kara dropped by L-Corp with lunch or to just say a quick hello. Even at Kara’s busiest, she’s always made time for Lena. Once, Kara had been going on two days without sleep but had stopped by on her way home to see Lena just because she’d missed her. Lena had even stopped by CatCo during the week and Kara had literally flung herself out a window when she’d heard Lena enter the building so she wouldn’t have to see her.

So, yes, she’s avoiding Lena. Ignoring her? No, she couldn’t do that. She’s still responding to her texts but Kara is reluctant to see her in person and she doesn’t know what to do.

Since that night, even though things were back to normal between them at the end and it ended how all their movie nights end (with a lingering hug), it still feels like something has changed. At least for Kara. That night unlocked so many thoughts and feelings inside her and now she’s afraid that if she sees Lena, Lena will be able to see it too.

Okay, so thoughts about Lena weren’t exactly uncommon before but suddenly they’re a lot harder to control, especially with the newfound knowledge of how soft Lena’s skin feels under her hands. Kara imagines her hands exploring more, more than just the small path her hand had taken. She wonders if her skin will feel just as soft if she uses her lips to do the exploring instead.

Except, no. She shakes her head. These are exactly the kinds of thoughts she can’t have, shouldn’t be having about her best friend.

But Lena’s words come back to her and she wonders if maybe Lena would be okay with her thoughts, would let Kara do more exploring of her body if she asked.

And that thought scares her as well because she thinks Lena may want this too and if they see each other, it could change everything between them. Kara doesn’t want that, she doesn’t want change. Because what if it ruins the relationship they already have? She can’t lose Lena, she just can’t.

So now she’s stuck between wanting to see Lena and avoiding her and she doesn’t know what to do.

Kara knows she’s hurting Lena by avoiding her so she can’t keep this up for much longer.

A knock at the door startles her and Kara’s eyes widen. Is it Lena?

She’s ready to jump out the window if it is but a quick glance through the door reveals Alex on the other side.

“Come in!” Kara calls as relief floods through her. She wants to see Lena, just not yet.

“I bought ice cream,” Alex says by way of greeting.

“You’re the best,” Kara grins and she’s off the couch for a moment then back in her seat, two spoons in hand.

Kara greedily takes the ice cream and digs in immediately.

She ignores Alex’s laughter. Ice cream is more important.

“Is everything okay?”

Dangit. Of course there was more to this ice cream than just a friendly visit from her sister.

“I’m fine,” Kara replies, mouth full of ice cream so her words are mumbled.

_Except I’m in love with my best friend._

She scowls internally, her brain needs to stop with things like that, it’s not helping.

Alex raises an eyebrow and apparently that’s all it takes for Kara to cave.

She sighs. “It’s Lena.”

Alex frowns. “Is she okay?”

Kara nods.

“Has she done something?”

She shakes her head this time. _She’s the one that’s done something._

“Did something happen between the two of you?”

Kara makes no move to affirm or deny the question and that’s enough for Alex as her eyes widen.

“What happened?”

Kara groans as she pushes the ice cream onto the coffee table and flops backwards on the couch. She buries her face under her arm. “I did something stupid.”

“Care to elaborate?”

Kara shifts her arm to look at her sister and sees nothing but concern radiating from her expression.

It’s been a week since that night and she really needs to talk to someone about it. Alex is her sister, who better to talk to this about?

 _Lena,_ her mind tells her but she ignores it.

Kara sits up more so she can look at Alex properly before she begins.

“Okay, so last week during movie night I found out Lena was ticklish. So of course I had to tickle her. So I was sitting on her and tickling her and my hand somehow slipped and ended up her shirt.”

“No, wait.” Alex cuts in. “Is this something that you should be telling your sister?”

She has a disgusted look on her face so Kara just rolls her eyes and continues. ”But then I just sort of froze and I didn’t know what to do. I meant to pull my hand away but my body didn’t listen and my hand moved higher and-“

“Oh my God. I was joking before but ew. Kara, this is too much information. I don’t want to hear this.”

“Alex, please. I need someone to talk about this with.”

Alex gives her a wary look.

“I promise, nothing happened.”

Alex waves her hand at Kara. “Okay, fine. Continue.”

“Well…umm…so my hand went higher and I ummm…” Kara’s eyes dart around the room like she’s checking to see if anyone else is around and can hear them. Her voice drops to a whisper as she finishes her sentence. “I touched her bra.”

“And then?” Alex looks vaguely amused but mostly disgusted but Kara’s grateful she’s still willing to talk about this.

“That’s it. I panicked and jumped off her then we continued movie night like normal then she left. I haven’t seen her since.”

Alex pauses as she watches Kara carefully. “So, what’s the problem?”

“What do I do?” Kara groans as her arm resumes its position over her face.

“Is she avoiding you?”

“No.”

“Are you avoiding her?”

“Maybe.”

Alex rolls her eyes. “Why?”

Kara huffs out a breath but she knows why. “I’m scared.”

“Of?” Alex prompts.

“Of losing her. What if she hates me?”

Alex shifts and puts a comforting hand on Kara’s arm. “Lena could never hate you. Ever.”

“What if she does because of what I did?”

“You mean touching her or avoiding her?”

Kara groans. She has a point. She’d be upset if Lena was avoiding her. Could she ever hate her? Of course not. But that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be hurt the Lena didn’t want to see her.

And then there’s something else she’s been worrying about. “What if she hates me when she realises I have feelings for her.”

If Alex is surprised by the confession, she doesn’t show it. “For someone so smart, you’re being incredibly stupid.”

Kara buries her face in her hands this time. “I know.”

And she does. She knows she’s just making excuses now not to have to go see Lena, to tell her how she feels. The last time she felt this scared was when Alex was in danger and she thought she’d lose her. The time before that she _had_ lost her entire world.

She’s so scared she’s going to lose Lena.

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to see Lena.” Kara says unenthusiastically and Alex laughs.

“Maybe at least try and smile when you tell Lena you’re in love with her.”

Kara blanches.

“Sorry, baby steps. Start with telling her you like her and ask her on a date.”

Kara groans again. “You make it sound like it’s going to be easy.”

“It will be. It’s Lena. She’s your best friend and whatever happens, that’s not going to change.”

Kara takes a deep breath. Okay, she can do this.

She stands and Alex frowns. “Where are you going?”

“To see Lena.”

”Now?”

Kara nods. “Yes. Before I can think too much and talk myself out of it.”

“Okay then.” Alex picks up Kara’s phone from the coffee table and it’s Kara’s turn to frown.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m texting Lena to let her know you’re going to see her. That way you can’t chicken out.”

Kara’s eyes widen as she makes a grab for the phone. When she’s actually successful, she knows it’s too late. Alex has already sent the message.

Oh Rao, she’s almost too scared to read what she’s sent.

But when she does she finds it’s nothing bad. In fact, it sounds just like something she’d say.

**I’m coming over. Is that okay?”**

The phone sounds while it’s still in her hands.

**Of course. See you soon.**

“Oh Rao. Now I really have to go, don’t I?”

“Exactly,” Alex grins.

Kara reaches over and wraps her arms around Alex.

“Thank you,” Kara murmurs into Alex’s shoulder. Her sister really is the best.

“Anytime. Now, go get your girl.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your lovely comments on the first chapter, it helped motivate me to write this (even if I don't know how I feel about it). But I promised a second chapter and here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

The only thought that keeps Kara going, that’s giving her the courage to actually reach Lena’s building, is the fact that Kara knows that avoiding Lena is hurting her and she can’t let that go on. It has taken her less than a minute to arrive at Lena’s building but it’s been ten minutes since she’s arrived and she’s still standing outside.

She’s nervous, so very nervous. What is she meant to say when she finally gathers the courage to go up to Lena’s apartment?

_Sorry I avoided you for a week but it’s because I like you and I’m scared._

Actually, that’s not too bad.

But that doesn’t mean she’ll be able to get the words out when the time comes.

With a deep breath, and then another one just because she’s still stalling, she enters the building and almost too soon she’s at Lena’s door.

Kara’s barely knocked when it swings open to reveal Lena on the other side. Her heart constricts when she realises that Lena was probably waiting for her.

“Kara. Hi.”

Lena’s voice, her small smile, almost breaks Kara right then. How has she survived a week without seeing her?

“Hi,” Kara smiles, albeit a little nervously, feeling like she can breathe for the first time since she last saw Lena.

Lena steps aside as Kara walks inside and suddenly she doesn’t know what to do. Should she go sit on the couch? Sit at the counter? Stay standing and just start talking, apologising and hoping Lena forgives her?

She looks back to Lena for guidance to find Lena watching her, her smile so soft and Kara can tell that Lena’s missed her this past week and is glad to see her too. That’s enough for words to just start tumbling from Kara’s mouth.

She needs to make this right.

“I’m so sorry. For everything. Not just the other night but avoiding you for a week too. I know I hurt you and I’m sorry and-“

“Shhh..it’s okay,” Lena hums as she steps into Kara’s personal space. Her hands come up to rub up and down Kara’s arms and Kara finds herself relaxing into the contact. “I would like an explanation, when you’re ready to talk about it. But I promise you, everything will be okay.”

How is Lena being so nice after everything? She’s amazing, that’s all Kara can think, and she really owes her an explanation, can’t let Lena think this is her fault. Because Kara knows her friend, knows she’s blaming herself even if she’s not saying it. She needs to tell Lena the truth, to make this right.

This is what Kara has come here to do so she fights the nerves clawing at her stomach.

This is the Lena she knows, the Lena she fell in love with, the kind of person that would put her friend’s feelings above her own even if she’s hurting herself.

Lena deserves the truth. And she’s going to give it to her.

No more lying to her best friend.

“I was scared.”

“Scared of what?”

Lena’s voice is so gentle, so soft, and Kara wonders why she was so scared in the first place to just talk to her.

And then she remembers.

“Of losing you.”

Arms are around her in an instant, the warmth encircling her whole body and Kara sinks immediately into Lena’s hold.

She nestles her head into Lena’s neck and just breathes and it feels like coming home.

Rao, she really has missed this.

“Darling, that’s one thing you never have to be scared of. You’re not going to lose me. Ever.”

Kara relaxes into Lena’s words as well as her arms, her comfort and warmth making Kara brave.

“Do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

Lena pulls back from the hug. “What?”

Kara’s not sure if Lena is just surprised or genuinely didn’t hear the question. Maybe she shouldn’t have asked it while her face was pressed into Lena’s neck. And maybe she should’ve given some explanation as to how she’d gone from ‘I don’t want to lose you’ to ‘will you go out with me’ and how that was related to her avoidance for the past week.

“Do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow night?” Kara repeats.

Lena opens her mouth to speak but Kara holds out her hand to stop her.

“Before you answer, I just want you to know that I’m genuinely sorry for avoiding you this past week. I should’ve just talked to you. But I was so scared.” Her hand reaches out to take Lena’s, like she’s afraid Lena’s going to be the one create space between them this time. “I can’t lose you, I just can’t. You’re too important to me. Then the other night happened and I ummm…” How is she meant to say this out loud? To Lena no less. “You know…with my hand. And it wasn’t until you’d left that I realised how much I wanted that. Want that. With you. But I was scared if you found out I have feelings for you, it’d make things awkward between us. But you deserve the truth and that’s it. I like you, so much, and I’d very much like to take you out to dinner. If that’s something you want. And if it’s not, I hope we can still be friends.”

Kara can feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest and she can hear Lena’s doing the same.

“So, you were avoiding me because you liked me?” Lena says after a moment, eyebrow raised.

Kara can only nod, all her words used up on her little speech. But once she’d started, she couldn’t stop. She needed to give Lena the truth, all the information, and it’s now up to Lena to do with it as she pleases.

“Okay. I’ll have dinner with you.”

Kara’s eyes widen. “You will?”

“I will,” Lena nods. “On two conditions.”

Kara frowns. “Conditions?”

“Next time you’re scared or worried about something, talk to me? I’ve spent all week worrying about you and missing you and wondering what I‘d done wrong and I’d rather not go through that again.”

Kara ducks her head. “I’m sorry.”

Lena uses her free hand, the one that’s not still held in Kara’s, to tilt Kara’s chin back up so they’re face to face again.

“I know you are. Just know that next time you can talk to me, okay? Always.”

Kara smiles. “I know.”

Lena is too good. What has she done to deserve someone like her?

It takes Kara a moment to realise they were having a conversation. Lena’s eyes are far more distracting this close. “What’s the second condition?”

“Never tickle me again,” Lena says with a playful quirk of her lips.

Kara pouts, feeling the dynamic between them finally shift back to normal. All that worry, all that time away from Lena, for nothing.

“Never?”

“Never.”

Lena laughs as Kara sticks her lip out even more.

“I suppose I can live with that if it means I get to take you out on a date.”

Lena ducks her head this time but she has a shy smile on her face. It’s Kara’s turn to lift Lena’s chin so she can look her in the eyes.

“I love you,” Kara says softly and Alex may have said “baby steps” but it feels right to tell Lena this now, when they’re being so honest with each other.

Kara is prepared for Lena’s smile at her words, but she isn’t prepared for the tears that form in Lena’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Lena says, hastily wiping her eyes and if it wasn’t for the watery laugh that follows, Kara would’ve been worried.

Kara uses her thumbs to wipe the tears that threaten to spill. She tilts forward, rests her forehead against Lena’s as her hands cup her cheeks.

“I love you,” Kara repeats.

“I love you too,” Lena says and Kara is overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotion through her. She just feels so warm and happy and loved and she has Lena so close and she’s just so _happy._

“I’m sorry it took me being stupid for us to get here.”

Lena shakes her head, the movement jostling Kara’s. “We’re here now and that’s all the matters.”

Kara tilts Lena’s head down using the hands still cupping Lena’s cheeks and presses a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Is this okay?” Kara asks but her eyes fall to Lena’s soft smile and she knows the answer already.

“More than okay.” Lena says as she wraps her arms around Kara and holds her close. “I’m glad you came over tonight.”

Kara holds her back just as tightly. “So am I.”

 This, Kara thinks, this is where she belongs. In the arms of the woman she loves.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Tumblr: spaceman-earthgirl


End file.
